Lemon-Sage Roast Chicken with Sausage-Mushroom-Idaho® Potato Stuffing
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
- For the chicken:
- 2 3 1/2 to 4lb chickens, quartered
- 20 whole fresh sage leaves
- 2 lemons, very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup garlic oil and puree, or 1/4 cup olive oil mixed with 3 minced garlic cloves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned broth
- For the stuffing:
- l2 oz Shiitake, cremini, or oyster mushrooms, or a combination, wiped clean
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup pure olive oil
- 4 large Idaho potatoes, peeled + cut into 3/4in cubes
- 1 1/2 lbs bulk sweet or hot Italian sausage
- 4 medium red onions, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
- 1/3 cup minced fresh basil
- 4 cup 1/2-in cubes sourdough bread
- 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil or reconstituted
- 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium canned broth
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the sauce:
- Large garlic clove, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, parsley, chervil, or a combination
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Under the skin of each chicken quarter, tuck 2 sage leaves and 1 lemon slice.
- Arrange the quarters on a wire rack in a large roasting pan, brush with the garlic oil.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast without basting until the skin is golden brown and flesh is almost cooked through- about 30 minutes
- Pour chicken stock around, not over, the chicken quarters in to the roasting pan.
- Place I slice of lemon on top of each chicken quarter and continue roasting until the juices run clear and a leg moves easily in its socket, about 20 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, make the stuffing: remove and discard the stems of the shiitakes.
- Cut the shiitake caps and creminis in quarters.
- With your hands, pull the oyster mushrooms apart into bite-size pieces.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
- Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and mushrooms start to give off their liquid, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl with their liquid and set aside.
- Add the pure olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium/high heat.
- Add the Idaho potatoes and pan-fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Remove potatoes from the pan and set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet, then crumble the sausage into it and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the sausage is just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the sausage is thoroughly browned about 5 minutes more.
- Add the sage, basil, bread cubes, tomatoes, Idaho potatoes, and mushroom mixture to the pan and mix to combine, adding a ladle full of stock if needed to moisten the mixture.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring, until heated through.
- When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and set aside to rest on a carving board or platter, covered with foil, at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: Strain the juices from the roasting pan into a saucepan and skim off any floating on the top.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce by one-third, then add the garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn off the heat and immediately whisk in the butter.
- Serve the dish: Divide the stuffing on plates.
- Place a chicken quarter on each plate and then drizzle with a spoonful of sauce.
- Sprinkle with the chives and serve immediately.